Growing With Games

Watch children at play and you’ll see them creating their own group games as well as playing old standbys – enjoying the time spent together with other children. But the value of such things goes far beyond the fun kids have in playing them. Group games promote children’s development in a variety of ways.

There are several types of great games: aiming games like drop the clothes pin on the bucket; chasing games like duck , duck , goose ; hiding games like hide and seek and guessing games like charades.

In many games children develop their large motor skills as well as their eye hand coordination. They also develop many social – cognitive skills, from turn taking to negotiation , and they are challenged to see things from different perspective.

In some great games children need to make comparisons and inferences and solve problems. Children who play games on a regular basis often begin adapting them or inventing their own games, which then adds another dimension to their learning and development.

These days many children have fewer opportunities compared to the past to play group games in their neighborhoods.

Today your littles made up their own game. There was much adapting and negotiating before they finally reached a point of playing without frustration. Things like this help you hen understand that sometimes rules are necessary and beneficial for progress.

If you compare the top and bottom picture you see that the circle is smaller. Some friends gave up and left – which is an important life skill too – knowing when an activity is not for you and walking away.

Other great things happening – the kids for two days have been playing with this rope to make a zip line.

And another loose part that found its way on the play ground yesterday was two red recycle bins. They have been used for many things.

Today has been a wonderful day. It felt normal – whatever that is in a classroom of 16 preschoolers all with different needs. Even our disagreements were handled with a sense of calm and self regulation.